About Us > History - March 1944 To Today

The Mission was founded in March 1944 by Jimmie and Jessie Hale. Prior to his Christian conversion, Jimmie was known as the town drunk. After becoming a Christian and later marrying Jessie, Jimmie’s desire was to have a Mission.

He wanted to have a place where homeless men could come and receive help and hope. Jimmie knew first hand what it was like being on the street, unemployed and struggling with alcohol addiction. At one point in Jimmie’s life, he went over four years without taking a sober breath.

Not only could Jimmie empathize with those who were struggling with some of the problems as he had; more importantly he wanted to share with them what changed his life and how it could change their life. The first location of the Mission was a store front chapel at 2117 Second Avenue North. This was the same building where Jimmie had sold his last drink as a bartender.

Jessie and Jimmie Hale, 1944

In November 1944, eight months after founding the Mission, Jimmie died at the early age of 39. He didn’t live to see much fruit of his labor; however, thousands of hurting people have been helped and many lives transformed at the mission named in his honor.

His 27-year-old, pregnant widow continued the work of faith. The following ten years were very difficult. Yet Jessie remained faithful. In 1954, “Brother Leo” Shepura was co-director with her for the next 36 years.

In 1990, Tony Cooper came to the Mission as executive director following in the steps of Jessie Hale Downs and Leo Shepura. “I have often said there is no way I could ever replace Sister Jessie or Brother Leo,” Tony said, “I can only work hard to follow them….”

Call (205) 323-5878 for a free copy of Doing Unto the Least of These: The Story of Birmingham’s Jimmie Hale Mission (1998) by John Hayman.